US5295819A - Pocket lighter having a safety mechanism - Google Patents

Pocket lighter having a safety mechanism Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US5295819A
US5295819A US07/960,768 US96076892A US5295819A US 5295819 A US5295819 A US 5295819A US 96076892 A US96076892 A US 96076892A US 5295819 A US5295819 A US 5295819A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
push button
lighter
space
free body
cavity
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
US07/960,768
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Isidro Gomez Lopez
Jorge Serrahima Formosa
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Flamagas SA
Original Assignee
Flamagas SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Flamagas SA filed Critical Flamagas SA
Assigned to FLAMAGAS, S.A. reassignment FLAMAGAS, S.A. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: FORMOSA, JORGE S., LOPEZ, ISIDRO G.
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US5295819A publication Critical patent/US5295819A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
    • F23Q—IGNITION; EXTINGUISHING-DEVICES
    • F23Q2/00—Lighters containing fuel, e.g. for cigarettes
    • F23Q2/34—Component parts or accessories
    • F23Q2/44—Wicks; Wick guides or fastenings
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
    • F23Q—IGNITION; EXTINGUISHING-DEVICES
    • F23Q2/00—Lighters containing fuel, e.g. for cigarettes
    • F23Q2/16—Lighters with gaseous fuel, e.g. the gas being stored in liquid phase
    • F23Q2/164—Arrangements for preventing undesired ignition

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a pocket lighter having a safety mechanism which may be placed, among others, in a first attitude of use and a second substantially reverse attitude vertical to said first attitude.
  • the pocket lighter comprises a push button which, relative to the operation of the lighter, is moveable between an active position to an inactive position which it tends to maintain; and a cavity in which a portion of said push button is contained, the volume and configuration of which vary depending on the position of the push button.
  • a lighter of the type described at the beginning which is characterized in that inside said cavity there is a free body movable under gravity and between said cavity and said push button portion, depending on the position of the push button, there are defined: a) spaces stably occupiable by said free body, among which there are, at least, one first blocking space through which said push button portion must of necessity pass for the push button to reach said active position; a second intermediate space, which may be occupied by said free body from said first space when the lighter is placed in the second attitude thereof; and a third space which may be occupied by said free body from said second space, when the push button is placed in the active position thereof and the lighter is held in the second attitude thereof and which, when the push button is placed in the inactive position thereof, becomes a retaining space where said free body is retained when the lighter is place in the first attitude thereof; and b) passages through which said free body may move, among which there are, at least, one
  • a lighter of the type described at the beginning which is characterized in that inside the cavity there is a free body movable under gravity. Between the cavity and the push button portion, depending on the position of the push button, there are defined at least three spaces stably occupiable by the free body. More specifically, there is at least one first blocking space through which the push button portion must of necessity pass for the push button to reach the active position, a second intermediate space, which may be occupied by the free body from the first space when the lighter is placed in the second attitude thereof and a third space which may be occupied by the free body from the second space when the push button is placed in the active position thereof and the lighter is held in the second attitude thereof.
  • the lighter further includes passages through which the free body may move. At least one first passage extends between the first and second spaces; a second passage extends between the second and third spaces; a second passage extends between the second and third spaces; and a third passage extends from the third space to the first space.
  • the free body must of necessity pass through the third passage upon releasing the push button after operating the lighter when the latter is in the first attitude of use thereof.
  • the lighter of the present invention provides an orderly succession of variations in the positions of the push button and in the attitudes of the lighter such that the free body is alternatively in a push button blocking or push button release position.
  • the present invention overcomes all the above mentioned drawbacks, since:
  • FIGS. 1 to 6 show successive schematic view of an operating push button and of a cavity corresponding to one embodiment of the pocket lighter of the invention in which the free body moves from the first blocking space shown in FIG. 1.
  • FIGS. 7 to 12 are similar views of another embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 13 is an elevation view of a lighter in the first attitude of use, with flame.
  • FIG. 14 is an elevation view of the same lighter in the second attitude thereof, substantially vertically reversed to the first attitude.
  • FIGS. 1 to 6 show particularly a cavity 1, occupied in part by a portion of a push button 2.
  • This is shown attached to a stem 4 provided with protuberances 6 (FIGS. 5 and 6) whose engagement with the structure 8 allows the push button 2 to oscillate between an inactive position (FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5) and an active position (FIGS. 3 and 6) in which the push button 2 is deeper in the cavity 1.
  • the push button 2 keeps the gas outlet closed while in the active position, it allows the gas out and therefore makes it possible to ignite the lighter.
  • Conventional spring means not shown, urge the push button 2 to the inactive position.
  • the lighter is provided with a knurled wheel 10 capable of producing sparks from a pyrophoric stone 12 by friction and this wheel is usually driven by the user when he moves the push button from the inactive to the active position thereof.
  • the invention also comprises a movement of translation of the push button.
  • the wheel 10 and flint 12 may also be replaced by a not shown piezoelectric generator.
  • the lighter may be placed in a first attitude of use (FIGS. 1, 5 and 6) in which the flame produced by the ignition may emerge vertically above the lighter and a second attitude substantially reversed relative to the said first attitude.
  • a free body 14 which is preferably round and more particularly it is spherical or cylindrical. This body may be moved by gravity, logically within the limits determined by the cavity 1 and by the portion of the push button 2 within the cavity.
  • This bottom wall may define a space of maximum depth 17 which may not be reached by the free body 14 due to the existence of an obstacle, such as containing ribs 18, of which only one is shown.
  • the cavity 1 is provided with a lateral concave portion 20 which is terminated at the top end thereof with an advanced surface 22 which follows the concavity 20 in transition therebetween and the exterior of the cavity 1.
  • the portion of the push button 2 penetrating in the cavity 1 is provided laterally with a surface depression 24 which is terminated at the lower end thereof with an active surface 26 which follows the depression 24 towards the bottom wall 16 of the cavity 1.
  • the push button is in the inactive position and the lighter is in the first attitude thereof.
  • the free body 14 is in a first space S1, which is a blocking space through which the said position of the push button 2 must of necessity pass for the push button to reach the active position.
  • the occupation of the free space S1 by the free body 14 prevents the push button from occupying the active position and, therefore, the lighter may not be ignited.
  • the push button 2 becomes released and, therefore, may pass to the active position, as shown in FIG. 3.
  • the lateral depression 24 (and not the active surface 26) which faces the lateral concave portion 20.
  • the free body 14 (through short second passage) occupies a third space S3 which is a retaining space, since the free body 14 is stably retained between the advanced surface 22 of the cavity 1 and the lateral depression 24 of the push button 2.
  • the free body 14 comes out of the space S3 and (through a third passage) returns to the space S1, where it remains when the push button returns to the inactive position, i.e. the blocking position of FIG. 1 is automatically attained when the push button is released, after using the lighter.
  • FIGS. 7 to 12 shown another embodiment of the lighter of the invention.
  • the same reference symbols have been given to members like those of the previous embodiment.
  • this new embodiment there is also a cavity 1 in which there is a free body 14 and which is partially occupied by a portion of a push button 2 which, in this embodiment, moves between the active position and the inactive position by a movement of translation, although the invention also contemplates the possibility of the push button 2 making a rocking movement.
  • the inactive position (in which it tends to remain) is shown in FIGS. 7, 8, 10 and 11 and the active position in FIGS. 9 and 12.
  • the size and shape of the cavity 1 vary in dependence of the position of the push button 2. Furthermore, the paragraphs relating to the first and second attitudes of the lighter are deemed to be reproduced here.
  • the push button 2 is provided with a main appendix 30 and an intermediate appendix 32 emerging from the underside of the push button.
  • the latter appendix is provided with an aperture 34 in the center thereof and the dimensions of the aperture are sufficient to allow the free body 14 to pass therethrough.
  • the cavity 1 is provided with a sloping bottom wall 36 which, in the first attitude of the lighter, defines a lowermost portion which must be occupied by the main appendix 30 when the push button 2 is in the active position thereof.
  • a first hollow 38 which is inaccessible to the free body 14 and in which the main appendix will enter in the active position of the push button 2.
  • a second hollow adapted to receive the intermediate appendix 32 to a distance sufficient for the aperture 34 to be flush with the bottom wall 36.
  • the push button 2 is in the inactive position and the lighter in the first attitude thereof. Therefore, the free body 14 occupies the first space S1 (blocking space), in which the push button is prevented from reaching the active position thereof.
  • the aperture 34 of the appendix 32 is flush with the bottom wall 36 which allows the free body 14 to fall through the aperture 34, so that it occupies a third position S3 after moving through a second passage.
  • the third space S3 becomes a retaining space, where the free body 14 remains although the lighter is returned to the first attitude of use thereof, as appreciated in FIG. 11.
  • the push button is unblocked and the lighter may be used, as shown in FIG. 12, where the push button has been moved to an active position.
  • the free body 14 comes out of the space S3 through a third passage (equivalent substantially to the succession of the second and first space) and while the push button is in the active position it remains in a fourth space S4, to return to the first space S1 when the push button returns to the inactive position.
  • the blocking position of FIG. 7 is automatically attained when the push button 2 is released after operating the lighter.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Lighters Containing Fuel (AREA)
US07/960,768 1991-10-14 1992-10-14 Pocket lighter having a safety mechanism Expired - Fee Related US5295819A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ES9102256 1991-10-14
ES9102256 1991-10-14

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US5295819A true US5295819A (en) 1994-03-22

Family

ID=8273811

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US07/960,768 Expired - Fee Related US5295819A (en) 1991-10-14 1992-10-14 Pocket lighter having a safety mechanism

Country Status (17)

Country Link
US (1) US5295819A (es)
EP (1) EP0538170A1 (es)
JP (1) JPH05223250A (es)
KR (1) KR930008373A (es)
CN (1) CN1071501A (es)
AU (1) AU2615592A (es)
BR (1) BR9203960A (es)
CA (1) CA2079180A1 (es)
CZ (1) CZ312392A3 (es)
HU (1) HU208731B (es)
IL (1) IL103331A0 (es)
MX (1) MX9205874A (es)
MY (1) MY136075A (es)
NO (1) NO923970L (es)
PL (1) PL296236A1 (es)
TW (1) TW201815B (es)
ZA (1) ZA927281B (es)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6206689B1 (en) 1998-10-15 2001-03-27 Bic Corporation Child resistant lighter
US6382960B1 (en) 1998-10-15 2002-05-07 B I C Corporation Child resistant lighter
CN100392322C (zh) * 2005-01-08 2008-06-04 黄家军 带有简易安全装置的打火机
US9734378B2 (en) 2008-08-20 2017-08-15 John Gibson Enterprises, Inc. Portable biometric lighter
US10502419B2 (en) 2017-09-12 2019-12-10 John Gibson Enterprises, Inc. Portable biometric lighter

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
KR100409173B1 (ko) * 1995-06-26 2004-03-26 가부시끼가이샤 히다치 세이사꾸쇼 전기청소기

Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2588479A (en) * 1949-02-26 1952-03-11 Ronson Art Metal Works Inc Lighter locking mechanism
US3547566A (en) * 1969-05-12 1970-12-15 Mcclure Charles A Lighter with gravity oriented safety
US4717335A (en) * 1986-08-28 1988-01-05 Loveless Guy M Child resistant lighter
EP0285748A1 (en) * 1987-03-09 1988-10-12 Tokai Corporation Gas lighter equipped with a safety lock
EP0291956A1 (en) * 1987-05-20 1988-11-23 Tokai Corporation Piezoelectric lighter equipped with a safety lock
US4830603A (en) * 1988-03-04 1989-05-16 Salvatore Cirami Child-resistant disposable lighter
EP0357347A1 (en) * 1988-09-02 1990-03-07 Bic Corporation Selectively actuatable lighter
FR2645626A1 (fr) * 1989-04-07 1990-10-12 Swedish Match Consumer Product Briquet a gaz
US5035608A (en) * 1990-10-10 1991-07-30 Parren Joseph R Safety locking device

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2588479A (en) * 1949-02-26 1952-03-11 Ronson Art Metal Works Inc Lighter locking mechanism
US3547566A (en) * 1969-05-12 1970-12-15 Mcclure Charles A Lighter with gravity oriented safety
US4717335A (en) * 1986-08-28 1988-01-05 Loveless Guy M Child resistant lighter
EP0285748A1 (en) * 1987-03-09 1988-10-12 Tokai Corporation Gas lighter equipped with a safety lock
EP0291956A1 (en) * 1987-05-20 1988-11-23 Tokai Corporation Piezoelectric lighter equipped with a safety lock
US4830603A (en) * 1988-03-04 1989-05-16 Salvatore Cirami Child-resistant disposable lighter
EP0357347A1 (en) * 1988-09-02 1990-03-07 Bic Corporation Selectively actuatable lighter
FR2645626A1 (fr) * 1989-04-07 1990-10-12 Swedish Match Consumer Product Briquet a gaz
US5035608A (en) * 1990-10-10 1991-07-30 Parren Joseph R Safety locking device

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6206689B1 (en) 1998-10-15 2001-03-27 Bic Corporation Child resistant lighter
US6382960B1 (en) 1998-10-15 2002-05-07 B I C Corporation Child resistant lighter
US6386860B1 (en) 1998-10-15 2002-05-14 Bic Corporation Child resistant lighter
US6764299B2 (en) 1998-10-15 2004-07-20 Bic Corporation Child resistant lighter
CN100392322C (zh) * 2005-01-08 2008-06-04 黄家军 带有简易安全装置的打火机
US9734378B2 (en) 2008-08-20 2017-08-15 John Gibson Enterprises, Inc. Portable biometric lighter
US9940499B2 (en) 2008-08-20 2018-04-10 John Gibson Enterprises, Inc. Portable biometric lighter
US10502419B2 (en) 2017-09-12 2019-12-10 John Gibson Enterprises, Inc. Portable biometric lighter
US10969102B2 (en) 2017-09-12 2021-04-06 John Gibson Enterprises, Inc. Portable biometric lighter
US11774096B2 (en) 2017-09-12 2023-10-03 John Gibson Portable biometric lighter

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU2615592A (en) 1993-04-22
CN1071501A (zh) 1993-04-28
BR9203960A (pt) 1993-04-27
HU208731B (en) 1993-12-28
NO923970D0 (no) 1992-10-13
PL296236A1 (en) 1993-05-04
MY136075A (en) 2008-08-29
CZ312392A3 (en) 1993-06-16
HUT62997A (en) 1993-06-28
TW201815B (es) 1993-03-11
EP0538170A1 (en) 1993-04-21
HU9203216D0 (en) 1993-03-01
JPH05223250A (ja) 1993-08-31
ZA927281B (en) 1993-04-26
KR930008373A (ko) 1993-05-21
IL103331A0 (en) 1993-03-15
CA2079180A1 (en) 1993-04-15
NO923970L (no) 1993-04-15
MX9205874A (es) 1993-04-01

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US5215458A (en) Child-resistant lighter with spring-biased, rotatable safety release
US5096414A (en) Cigarette lighter
CA1330166C (en) Selectively actuatable lighter
US5490773A (en) Pocket lighter
US6095796A (en) Double-button piezoelectric child-resistant cigarette lighter
US5460516A (en) Safety lighter with locking striker wheel
US6267582B1 (en) Pocket lighter
US5636979A (en) Selectively actuatable lighter
US4190412A (en) Disposable cigarette gas lighter with snuffing cover
US5295819A (en) Pocket lighter having a safety mechanism
US5417571A (en) Child resistant lighter
AU713162B2 (en) A gas safety lighter comprising a pyrophoric flint and spark wheel ignition system
US5897307A (en) Disposable lighter having a safety function of preventing unwanted ignition
US5788474A (en) Safety lighter
US5971749A (en) Safety disposable lighter
US5997281A (en) Safety lighter
US5607295A (en) Safety lock cigarette lighter
JP2000505542A (ja) スパークホイールスリップリング付きライター
US5451159A (en) Gas lighter with safety device to prevent release of gas
JP2009506291A (ja) 子供に対して安全なロールプレス式ライター
EP0752559A1 (en) Cigarette lighter including a safety ignition system
AU705302B2 (en) Gas lighter device which includes an ignition-safety system
US6422860B2 (en) Double-button piezoelectric child-resistant cigarette lighter
US6808386B2 (en) Gas lighter with a locking device
EP1323981A1 (en) Gas lighter

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: FLAMAGAS, S.A.

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNORS:LOPEZ, ISIDRO G.;FORMOSA, JORGE S.;REEL/FRAME:006292/0860

Effective date: 19920915

REMI Maintenance fee reminder mailed
LAPS Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees
FP Lapsed due to failure to pay maintenance fee

Effective date: 19980325

STCH Information on status: patent discontinuation

Free format text: PATENT EXPIRED DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEES UNDER 37 CFR 1.362